Method and apparatus for unloading poles or the like from cars



F. A. BROWN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UNLOADING POLES OR THE LIKE FROM CARS Filed April 23, 19 5 Patented June 2, 1925,

manna nsown, ol Los enemas, CALIFORNIA.

METHOD AND Arrena'rus ronwonnoan me POLICE 0a LIKE rnoercniis.

Application filed April 23, 1923. Serial m; 624,166.

To all wll-onz it v'na-y concern:

Be it known that I, Finn) A. BROWN, a citizen or the United States, and a resident of the city of Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, andfitate o California, have invented new and useful Improven'ie'nts in Methods and Apparatus for Unloading Poles or the like lironi Cars, of which the following is a specification. V

This invention has to do with a metl'iod and apparatus for unloading" poles, orthe like, from cars, and it is arr-object of the inventi'on to provide a n'iethod and apparatus by which poles can be easily, quickly and safely unloaded! i PdlOS,"dl1Cl other devices. and materials are commonly transported from place to place on flat cars, the poles being arranged longitudinal on the cars between stakes which extend upwardly at the sides of the cars. Poles, such *as are use-dtor carrying wires, are very commonly transported in this manner, and when thus transported present the conditions under which'the present inventionis adapted to be used, so, therefore. I will hereinafter refer to my invention as applied to a loadolfp'oles carried or. car in the manner above specified, it being understood, of coarse, that I do not limit the invention to this specifiCap plication, as it is applicable to various other situations of this general character.

hen. poles are loaded on flat cars between'stakes it is usually dilficult, and, in

many ases, dangerous to unload them. Loads of poles frequently shift so that they are leaning considerably to one side when it is desired to unload them, and in many cases. o l course, they learn away from the side at which it is desired "to unload them, thus makingit (llllllUUlb"tO unload them. Furthelu the stakes used to hold the poles are of inferior n'iaterial, and occasionally fail while the poles are being unloaded, making it particularly dangerous for the workmen.

car which can be success'l'irllyand effectively carried out quickly and with but few men.'

frame 1'1.

it is an object oi. this invention to provide It is another object of this invention to provide a sin iple, effective and practical apparatus for carrying out the rnetl 'iod which I have provided.

Another object of the invention is to 'pro vide various refinements and improvements in the apparatus to make it reliable, durable and convenient. i l.

The various objects and :teatures of my invention will be best and "more fully understood from the following: detailed description of a typical :pre' red manner of carrying rt out, and formiol apparatus cinbodying it, throughout which description reference is ha d Lto'theaccompanyingdrawings, in \vlnch: 3

Fig. 1 1s a perspective 'vlew show-111g a typical flat car carrying awloadfof poles, and

showing; the apparatus provided by the present invention in :position for unloading the polesgm 1 a Fig. 2 1s an end elevationot the parts SlIOWDlll Fig. 15;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail side-elevation of the :outer :portionwo'f the brace: member;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5' is an enlarged detail View, showing the manner in which the post of theunloading apparatus isnnounted on the car, and how the braceis connected with the post.

In the drawings numeral IOQdGsignates a typical railroad car, ot the type ordinarily known as a flat car. Thezcar 10'incl u'des a frame 11 which carriesa suitable fiat platform 12, and vtrnckslil which suipport-the At suitable intervals along the sides of the car 120 there :are brackets 14: adapted tohold: stakespo'r the like, in manner hereinafter described.

In Figs. -1 and 202Ethedrawings I "have shown a load of poles 15 arranged. onthe platform 12. Thepol'es 15' are arranged lonthe I gitudi-nally on the platform 12 and are held between stakes. 16 arranged 'in the brackets 14: so that they extend upwardly from the sides of the pl atform 12. The Tstakes: 16 are manl rough timbers havingtheir lower ends dressed so that theyunore or lesstightly fit into the brackets 14:, andei're*surfliciently long to extend tothe't'op ol. the loa'd of poles. The load of poles is usually "further held by wires 17 whichextend betweentlrestakes' at load at one side, temporarily releasably tying the load, making the load free except for the releasable tie, and then gradually releasing the tie. In bracing the load from the side opposite from that at which it is to be unloaded it isimpossible for the poles, when released, to fall to the wrong side of the "it is desired for use.

car, and it is safe for the workmen to remain at the side of the car. By tying the load so that it is gradually releasable, itremains substantially intact, and, in any event, it remains on the car after the various supporting or bracing means provided for holding it while in transportation have been released. Upon gradually releasing the tie the load is lowered from the car gently and safely yet quickly. J The apparatus orequipment provided by my invention includes a. post 20, a brace 21, a foot 22 for the brace 21, means 28 for holding the brace in position, and a' tie'2et for holding the load.

The'post-2O isadapted to be removably mounted on the car 10 so that it extends upwardly from-the, side of the platform 12 in much the same manner as astake 16. In practice'it is convenient to mount the post- 'on the car by arranging its lower end in one of the brackets 14, provided on the car for. a stake. When this manner of mounting is employed the lower end portion of the post is shaped and proportioned so that it will more or less accurately fit into the bracket 1-1:, and means is provided for positively holding the post in' place in the bracket. The post may be positively hold in the bracket by arranging a pin 25 through the lower end the post below the bracket in the manner clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5. The pin 25 maybe connected with the post 20 by means of a small chain 26, or the like, so that it will always be at hand when This form of means for securing the post in the bracket l tis particularly desirable in that it is secure, reliable and convenient. I ordinarily prefer to form the post 20 "of wood, for instance,

of an oak timber, and when it is formed of this material I preferably bind its lower portion with a metal strap 27. The strap 27 may be secured in place on or around the wooden'body by suitable bolts 28, or the like. The strap 27 reenforces the'post and protects itagainst being injured and against beingworir or broken Where it is carried by the bracket 14! The brace 21 is provided to back up or support the post 20 in its upright position at the side'of the load of poles. The brace 21 extends diagonally between the post 20 and the ground and is preferably connected with the post at a point about midway be tween its ends and is proportioned so that it extends diagonally downward to the ground at an angle of about forty degrees. The brace 21 is preferably pivotally' connected with the post 20.

In the particular form of construction illustrated in the drawings, the upper end of the strap 27 at the outer side of the post 20 is turned back to form a loop 30. Plates 31 are secured to opposite sides of the upper end portion of the brace 21 so that they extendfrom the upper end of the brace to form two spaced arms 32. The brace is adapted tobereleasably pivotally connected with the post 20 by arranging a pin 33 throughthe arms 32 and loop 31 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings. The pin 33 is preferably tied to one of the parts, for instance, the brace 21, by asui t able'flexible member or. chain 35!. This form of connection'between the post and brace is particularly simple and effective and is easily and quickly secured and re leased by manipulation of the pin 38.

The foot 22 is arranged at the lower end of the brace 21, and is preferably removably mounted on the lower end of the brace so that it can be removed or replaced as circumstances may require, In accordance with the preferred form of construction, the lower end portionof the brace 21 is bound by a metal strap 35 so that the lower end of the brace will not'be broken or injured when the foot is removed or upon its being used without the foot. The foot 22, which I have illustrated in the drawings, is adapted to form an effective support for the brace in soil, or the like, so,therefore, it includes a body 36 having a comparatively large flat bottom 37. Two spaced brackets 38 are provided onthe body 36 to receive the lower end of the brace 21, and a pin 39 is adapted to be arranged through the brackets 38 and lower end portion of the brace 21 to secure the foot in place on the brace. It will be obvious, of course, that the foot 22 may be mounted on the brace 21 in various manners other than the one just described and that it may be constructed or designed in various manners to suit various operating conditions The means 23, which I have illustrated in: the drawin s, forholding the brace 21 in position in addition to the foot 22, includes a flexible member, for instance, a. chain 40, having one end connected with .the lower endportion of the brace 21 and the other end adapted to connect with a stationary part, for instance, a part of the car 10 or the track ll, on which the car is standing. In practice the outer end of the chain 40, that is, the end of the chain adapted to be connected with the stationary part, is provided with a hook 422 so that at I:

the chain can be arranged around the stationary part, for instance, one of the rails of the track-41, and made secure by ar-- ranging the hook through one of the links in the manner clearlyillustrated in Fig. In accordance with my 1 of the drawings. invention I; provide means for adjusting-the chain 10 so that it may be made tight to cli'ectively .hold the brace 21. In the form of the intention illustrated in the drawings this adjnstability is provided at the connection of thechain wit'lrthe brace. A. rod 4-?) is carried by the brace 21. One end (it the rod 45 is provided with an eye 46 which carries the end of the chain, while thc'other end of the rod is screw threaded andcarries a nutitT, preferably a wing nut. The nut 4-7 engages a bracket 48 mounted on the brace 21, andthrzough. whichfthe rod. 15 extends. From ,inspection of the drawingsand particularly from Figs. land a 3. it will be obvious how the connection o? the chain with the brace may be adjusted by rotating the nut 17 onthe screw threadcdend of therod 45. In practice'the chain 40 be made tight so that it tightly holds the brace 21 after its outer end has .l'zeen connected with a stationary part by tightening :the nut 47 on the rod 45, thus causing; the chain to be drawn toward the brace 21.. y

The flexible tie 2.4, provided for holding the load of poles while they are being unloaded, is neferably a rope. The rope is adapted to have one end secured, to be 'arranged around overthe' load of poles from the/side or the car from which the poles are to be unloaded, and to have its other cnd'.rcleasablyheld at the other side or". the car. The end of the rope adapted to "be made fast may be tiedto' a statiomrry part For instance. to a nrrtol the car or one oi the rails 3-3. as I have illllistrated in Fi $2. The rope is arranged around over the top of die load of poles at a point about opposite the post 20 and the end which. is'aida'pe ed to be rcleasably held at the braced side oi' the load of poles may be passed around a suitable stationary part; for instance. around a part of oneot the trucks 13' of the car and be held by hand. The arrange ment ot the rope in umncction.with the load is clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 52. of the 'd'itawi i '7 in carrying out the method provided by my invention, and in using'the appa'rtus provided, it is usually desirable to employ two sets or units of"apparatus,'o11e at each I end of the load of poles. The firstoperation is to arrange the posts 20 in the brackels l-land brace and secure them by means of the braces 21 and means 23. The ties 24 are then arranged around over the load of poles 15 and the ends of the ties at the braced side of: the load are held, for instance,

somewhat but it cannot fall from the car so by hand. Suitable nearer may be a r i'anged at'the side of them "fronrwhich poles are to be unloaded to dnrect the poles away from .the car'and to. prevent them from falling when they are released. i'Vhiie the ties are held more or less't grhtdy around the'load ot' poles the i116) wires 17 extendn between "the stakes "16 are cut and the sink 3 rich the poles- 24'. It 'istrue, of course, that when the stakes are removed that the load ma'yser A long as the ties 2a are held securely. To lower the load from the cart he tics are gradually released from the braced side by allowing them to slip around the parts around which they are arranged. This releaseinent of the ties allows the load of poles to gradually lower onto the skids and to :go to the ground where they can be left in a pile or moved, as desired. There will, oi course, be somepolesthatwill not pass on of the car in this manner buttrese can he very ea danger. When the car has been completely unloaded the units of apparatus can be easily andquickly removed and installed in con .nection with another car or can' beharidled in any desired manner. 1

From the foregoing description it wdl y removed one by Qn'e Withent be obvious how the present invention pro rides "a method and apparatus by. which a load of poles can be QLLSldY'il-Rfil qiiiclcly re;- JilOVGd tromfa car with: very liti'dt, labor and without danger to the workmen:

Havir d'escritied only a ty a'l p're'teriwl y invention lw lo'netwrish to l innt myselt to tie set 'li'ort h but wish to reserve to mys cl1a=n;.5cs or variations 1 c those skillml in the art or ran within the scope of the following claims.

l taying described my invention, i'claim:

1. The liereind escribed n'iethod (it unload inn poles il ronra car-en which they are .hcl d by stakes including, bracing; the poles lat one side of the ca tying the poles on the car, releasinglthc sta' lres; and then releasing); the tying.

2. The inn poles by stakes including, bracing the poles at one side'ot the ca'r,temporarily tying the poles on the car, and rel'ez 1;; ti 1e stakes poles are temporarily held.

while the lierei ndescribod method o t unit-arch from a car on winch they are held The hereindeseribed method of unloading poles from acar onfwhich they are lield by stakes including;bracing the polesatone side of the car, tempo 'arily securing the poles on'the car, releasing the stakes, and then releasing the tempo a-ry securing.

4. The hereindescribed method of unloadno I ing poles from a car on which they are held by stakes including, bracing the poles at one side of the car, tying the poles on the car, releasing the stakes, and then gradually releasing'the tying' 5. Apparatus for use in unloading poles from a car including, a post adapted to be arranged to extend upwardly at one sideof the car to hold thepoles at that side of the ear, and a' brace secured to the post and extending therefrom to the ground.

6. Apparatus for use in unloading poles from a car including, a post adapted to be arranged to extend upwardly at one side of the car to hold the poles at that side of the car, a brace secured to the post to extend therefrom to the ground, and means for securing the lower end otthe brace in place.

7. Apparatus for use in unloading poles from a car including, a post adapted to be arranged to extend upwardly at one side or the car to hold the poles at that side of the car, a brace, and means for detachably connecting the brace with the post so that it extends therefrom diagonally downwardly to the ground. I

8. Apparatus for use in unloading poles from a car including, a post adapted to be arranged to extend upwardly at one side of the car to hold the poles at that side of the car, a brace, and means pivotally connecting the brace with the post to extend diagonally downwardly therefromto the ground.

9. Apparatus for use in unloading poles from a car including, a post adapted to be arranged to extend upwardly at one side of the car to hold thepoles at that side of the car, a. brace, and means releasably pivotally connecting the brace with the post to extend diagonally downwardly therefrom to the ground.

10. Apparatus for use in unloading poles from a car having brackets on its sides for stakes, or the like, including, a post adapted to be mounted in one of the brackets to hold the poles at one side of the car, a pinto be arranged through the post for securing the post in place in the bracket, and means for bracing the post.

11. Apparatus for use in unloading poles from. a car including, a post. adapted to be arranged to extend upwardly at one side of g the car to hold the poles at that side of the car, a brace connected with the post to extend therefrom to the ground, and means for securing the brace in place including a chain having one end connected with the lower end portion of the brace and the other end adapted to be secured to a stationary member. v

1.2. Apparatus for use in unloading poles from a car including,'a post adapted to be arranged to eXtend upwardly at one side of the car to hold the poles at that side of the car, a brace connected with the post to ex tend therefrom to the ground, and means for securing the brace in place including a chain having one end adapted to be connected with a stationary member and means adjustably connecting the other end of the chain with the lower portion of the brace.

13. Apparatus tornse in unloading poles from acar including, a post adapted to be arranged to extend' upwardly at one side of the car to hold the poles at that side of the car, a brace secured to the post to extend therefrom to the ground, and a foot on the lower end'of the brace to engage the ground.

14:. Apparatus for use in unloading poles from a car including, a post adapted to be arranged to extend upwardly at one side of the car to hold the poles at that side of the car, a brace connected with the post to extend therefrom to the ground, a foot, and means for detachably securingthe foot on the lower end ofthe brace.

.15. Apparatus for use in unloading poles from a car having brackets on its sides for stakes, or the like, including, a post adapted to be mounted in one of the brackets to hold the poles at one side of the car, means for securing the post in place in the bracket, a braee,.1neans for detachably pivotally connecting the brace'with the post so that the brace extends diagonally downwardly to the ground, a foot mounted on the lower end of the brace, and a member connected with the lower portion of the brace and adapted to connect'with a stationary part to secure the brace in position.

16. Apparatus toruse in unloading poles from a car including, a post arranged to 0X- tend upwardly at one side of the car to brace the poles at that side of the car, and a flexible tie having one end secured and being arranged around over the poles so that its other end is at the same side of the car as the post and is adapted to be releasablyheld.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of March, 1923.

FRED A. BROXVN.

' lVitneSses:

I. L. his'rnann, WM; H. MAXWELL. 

